Bonded Labour Sakkanwali

Posted by: Dalit Dasta Virodhi Andolan

Date of incident: 16-07-2013

State:: Punjab

District:: MUKATSAR

Police station:: Mukatsar

Chargesheet:: No F.I.R

Summary::

Angrej Singh S/o Balwant Singh, Age-25 is R/o Village- Kaliya Sakatra, tehsil- Patti, District- Tarn Taran.He belongs to Majhabi Sikh caste which has been declared as a scheduled caste by the State Government of Punjab. 4 years back in year 2009, he was working as a “Siri” with Kala Singh S/o Bhagail Singh R/o village- Village- Kaliya Sakatra, tehsil- Patti, District- Tarn Taran who belongs to caste “Jatt Sikh”.

sBefore the joining of Kala Singh’s work Angrej Singh was working as a “Siri” (bonded labourer) with Gurbhej Singh S/o Joginder Singh who is also from village- Kaliya Sakatra , tehsil- Patti, District- Tarn Taran and belongs to “Jat Sikh” caste. For Gurbhej Singh he worked for six months and Gurbhej Singh imposed a amount of Rs.8000 (Eight thousand rupees) on him. To repay the bonded debt of Gurbhej Singh, Angrej Singh joined the work of Kala Singh and Kala Singh promised him that he will gave him money to repay the bonded debt of Gurbhej Singh but he extract work from him continuously five months but he never paid him any wages. Gurbhej Singh was demanding the bonded debt from Angrej Singh and his family and to extract the bonded debt he was visiting to their house continuously. The family was helpless so they borrowed the money from another person. Angrej Singh’s mother borrowed Rs.8000 (Eight thousand rupees) from village- Naushehera from a person with the help of her sister and repaid the bonded debt of Gurbhej Singh.After five months work Kala Singh gave only Rs.4000 (Four thousand rupees) to Angrej Singh as his wages. Kala Singh fixed his wages Rs.22, 000 (Two thousand rupees) per annum. Kala Singh was providing three times meals to Angrej Singh.Whenever Angrej Singh absence from the work due sickness or any urgent work then Kala Singh charge a fine of Rs.400/- per day and night and add this amount in the advance amount and imposed a interest according to his wish. Angrej Singh was working for day and night for Kala Singh but he was not allowed to come to his house as his house was in the same village. When he requests many times to Kala Singh that wants to meet his family members he wants to go to his house then hardly after 7-8 days Kala Singh allows him to go his house only for one night. During the work period whenever Angrej Singh demanded his wages Kala Singh gave him only Rs. 100/- or Rs.50/- after ten days.

The other members of his family were maintaining the household expenses. In this way Kala Singh never paid his earned wages. Kala Singh never allowed Angrej Singh for any weekly rest or over time.

One day during the work Angrej Singh demanded his wages from Kala Singh then Kala Singh, his Sons Manjit Singh, Ranjit Singh and Kulwant Singh S/o Mohinder Singh from the same village beaten him mercilessly with sticks in front of his father Balwant Singh. As Angrej Singh was beaten mercilessly by Kala Singh and his fellows he was unable to do work. But instead of his injuries Kala Singh extract work from him. Kala Singh was threatening him that if he will not work for him he will have to pay Rs. 20,000 (Rupees ten thousand) to him otherwise he will kill him. So due to the fear of Kala Singh, Angrej Singh was helpless to leave his house and village. But Kala Singh started to harass his family members and imposed a debt amount of Rs. 20,000 (Twenty thousand rupees) on them. As Kala Singh was harassing the family. Angrej Singh’s father Balwant Singh start to work as a “Siri” (Bonded labourer) with Ranjit Singh S/o Gurnam Singh, village- Kalia Sakatra, tehsil- Patti, District- Tarn Taran. Ranjit Singh gave an advance of Rs.20,000 (Twenty thousand rupees) to Balwant Singh which he used to repay the bonded debt of Kala Singh. Balwant Singh worked for Ranjit Singh for one year. After extracting the bonded debt from the family Kala Singh does not stopped to harass the family of Angrej Singh. As on 3rd May 2013 there were the elections of Panchayats. Kala Singh pressurized the family to give their votes in his favour for the village Sarpanch. Kala Singh was not elected as a Sarpanch. He got angry with the family and said that as they have not gave their votes in his favour and he could not win and he will not apologies them for this. Now Kala Singh is demanding Rs.10,00,00 (Rupees one lakh) more from the family of Angrej Singh. Due to the fear of Kala Singh from last four years Angrej Singh is living outside and again working outside. Now Kala Singh is harassing the father of Angrej Singh and the family and demanding the bonded debt again and is threatening that if they will not pay him the bonded debt they have to vacate their residential house up till 23rd August 2013 otherwise he will forcibly took the possession of their residential house. Due to the fear of Kala Singh, Angrej Singh’s father Balwant Singh has also left his house and living outside. Kala Singh is coming to Angrej Singh’s house on daily basis and abusing on caste basis and threatening that if they will not pay the bonded debt he will hand them over to police and will implicate them in a false case. Due to the fear of Kala Singh the lives and liberty of Angrej Singh, Balwant Singh and the other family members is in danger.

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Dalit Bonded Labour Secha

Posted by: Dalit Dasta Virodhi Andolan

Date of incident: 12-07-2013

State:: Punjab

District:: KAPURTHALA

Police station:: Sultanpur

Chargesheet:: No F.I.R

Summary::

Swarno W/o Giyan Ram resident of village-Secha, tehsil-Sultanpur, District- Kapurthala. He belongs to ‘valmik’ caste which is declares Scheduled Caste by the Govt of Punjab. He was working with Gurbachan Singh S/o Sant Ram resident of village- Secha, tehsil- Sultanpur, District- Kapurthala. Swarno & her son Lakhvir Ram was working from last 6 months for the employer. The employer give them advance of Rs. 500/- to bonded labourers which they have used to take medicine for swarno. The employer fixed salary of Swarno Rs. 1500/- and Lakhvir Ram’s salary was Rs.2000/.The bonded labourers worked 8a.m to 6 p.m for the employer. The employer never paid the wages of the bonded labourers when he demands their wages the employer paid him only Rs. 200 or 300 after one month. The employer do not allow the bonded labourers to leave his work without paying the bonded debt of Rs. 8000/. The employer abused the bonded labourers on basis during the work period. The bonded labourer does not want to continue his services.

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Verbal Abuse and Harassment of Dalit Women

Posted by: Social Awareness Society for Youths

Date of incident: 10-07-2013

State:: Tamil Nadu

District:: TIRUPPUR

Police station:: Tarapuram police station

Chargesheet:: No F.I.R, No chargesheet

Summary::

Valarmathi (55), W/o Mayilsamy, belongs to Dalit Poyar Community, is resident of Kootapulipalayam Road, Tarapuram, Tirupur district. She is working in an Angavadi. In 1992, she was allotted a 2.5 cent of land in U. Ammapatti. On 11/07/2013, Valarmathi went their to initiate the foundation work for building a new house in the government allotted land. On knowing her arrival and her intention to build a house in their area, Parivallal, Murugasamy, Eswaramoorthy and Kumarasamy, all belongs to dominant caste hindu Kounder community, prevented her to continue the work. They verbally abused her saying, “Ottachi “should not build a house in our premises and referred derogatory regarding caste. They threatened her that they will demolish the house, if she build a house in their locality.

On the same day Valarmathi lodged a complaint with the Tarapuram Police Station, but the police officials failed not taken any action on that complaint. Hence she file an another complaint on 16/07/02013, with the support of CPI Councillor Mr. Raghupathy. Even after the second complaint, the higher officials in the police department were negligent to take action on the complaint.

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Bonded Labour Rukhala

Posted by: Dalit Dasta Virodhi Andolan

Date of incident: 05-07-2013

State:: Punjab

District:: MUKATSAR

Police station:: Giddarwaha

Chargesheet:: No F.I.R

Summary::

Harwinder Kaur W/o Baljinder Singh, Village- Rukhala, Bazigar Basti, Tehsil-Giddarwaha, District- Shri Muktsar Sahib, She belong to caste “Majhabi Sikh” caste which has been declared as a Scheduled Caste by the State government of Punjab.

She and her family members have been were working as agriculture labourers since April 2011. for Pal Singh Master S/o Prabhu Singh, Village- Shekh, tehsil- Giddarwaha, District- Shri Muktsar Sahib, Caste-Jatt Sikh. Her husband Baljinder Singh was working as a “Siri” for the employer. Her daughter Manpreet Kaur (17 years) and Jaspreet Kaur are also working with for the employer.

Pal Singh Master had given them advance of Rs. 15000 (Rupees fifteen thousand) at the time of joining the work which they used that money to repay the bonded debt of his previous employer Om Prakash Jaini, who is living in city. Shri Muktsar Sahib who used them for 13 years and imposed an amount of Rs.15000 (Fifteen thousand and five hundred) on her as an bonded debt. Pal Singh Master has fixed annual wages Rs.55000 (Fifteen thousand and five hundred) for her husband including 520 KG wheat. Pal Singh (Master) never gave them any information regarding her and her children’s wages. Pal Singh (Master) extracted work from 6:00a.m to 9:00p.m. During the wheat and paddy transplantation season they have to work for him in day and night. Pal Singh (Master) never allow them for any weekly rest. Whenever they could not work due to sickness or any urgent work then Pal Singh Master charged them an amount of fine as per his own wish and adds this amount in the advance amount and charged an interest on the whole amount according to his own wish. Pal Singh Master has taken their thumb impressions on many types of blank papers. She is illiterate she could not understand for what purpose he will use these papers. During the work period whenever she demanded her wages from Pal Singh Master always makes excuses and when She requested him several times then after four or five months he gave them only Rs.2000 (Rupees two thousand rupees) and adds this amount in the advance amount and charged an interest according to his own wish. Instead of this amount he never paid our wages or wheat. When they have completed two years work with Pal Singh Master, they demanded our wages from him, he abused them on caste basis and threaten them that he will not pay us any wages but he imposed an bonded debt of Rs.45000 (Rupees forty five thousand) on them

They refused to go in the Panchayat, which is called by Pal singh itself. Pal Singh Master was not paying them their wages but demanding bonded debt from them. The complaint has been sent to the DM, Muktsar and there is no action against the employer and no compensation has been given to the victims under the Bonded Labour System (Abolotion) Act 1976 or SC/ST Act 1989.

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Murder of a Dalit Petlad Town

Posted by: Navsarjan Trust

Date of incident: 20-06-2013

State:: Gujarat

District:: ANAND

Police station:: Petlad Town Police Station

Chargesheet:: No F.I.R

Summary::

The village called Jesarva is situated in Petlad taluka of Anand district. There are patels, Darbars, Dalits and some other caste’s people living.

On 20/06/13 the victim Parshottambhai, at 5 o’clock in the evening left to Dharmaj Jalaram Mandir to pray as his daily routine, as he was coming back from the temple, near Jesarva-Shekhdi railway crossing accused Prakashbhai Simonbhai Khristi, Mustak Najirmiya and Jasodaben alias Jashi Parshottambhai Purabiya came there and accused prakashbhai attacked with deadly wepon and all the three accused ran away from the place.

On coming to know the Police Inspector came there and then sent the deadbody to Petlad Civil Hospital for postmortem and registered FIR

This is altogether a different case. A dalit was killed. The brief fact of the case as per the investigation authority and other people, the accused had illicit relationship with the wife of the victim. Because of that some quarrel was going on between the husband and wife. The wife of the victim and the accused had decided to kil him.